In 1992, one week before the general election, the Labour Party held an enormous, glitzy event which has gone down in history as "the Sheffield rally". It not quite true that this rally lost Labour the election – although I can see why people think that.

Yes, Neil Kinnock’s performance was eye-wateringly embarrassing (“Let me hear ya say alright!” No, I won’t bother, if it’s okay with you, Neil…). And while the scale and spectacle of the event was impressive and unprecedented, it failed to reassure viewers that here was a government-in-waiting. Britons prefer their ministers to be dignified and modest, not charging around on a stage a-whoopin’ and a-hollerin’.